Lana Shope, CARES T/TA Project Director, National Community Action Partnership (NCAP) — Ms. Shope began her career in the community action network at Mid-Iowa Community Action, Inc. (MICA) in Marshalltown Iowa. Over a period of ten years, she created a variety of new programs that improved the lives of people experiencing poverty. Ms. Shope departed MICA to serve as the lobbyist for the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church where she was immersed in the day to day efforts of advocating and lobbying for social justice issues, including addressing the causes and conditions of poverty. After five years in this role, she returned to the network as the executive director of the Iowa Community Action Association (ICAA) and served in that role for sixteen years. With a commitment to increase her skills and knowledge, in 2010 Ms. Shope successfully completed the curriculum and became a Certified Community Action Professional (CCAP). She now serves as the CARES Project Director for the National Community Action Partnership.

Charisse Johnson, Division Director, Division of Community Assistance, Office of Community Services (OCS), Administration for Children & Families (ACF) — Ms. Johnson’s career in social services spans over 30 years in a wide range of roles and leadership positions. Her work in ACF began in 2010 in the Office on Child Abuse and Neglect. Since then, she has worked in the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) in the Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood program, as well as the Office of Grants Management (OGM). Prior to becoming a federal employee, Ms. Johnson worked in North Carolina’s child welfare system. Ms. Johnson served as the Deputy Director for Wayne Action Group of Economic Solvency (WAGES), Inc., a Community Action Agency in North Carolina. Ms. Johnson earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. Ms. Johnson has two adult children and two grandchildren.

Nicole Oxendine, Vice President, Tribal Training & Technical Assistance Lux Consulting Group, Inc. — With a commitment to empowering women, children, and Native communities, Nicole has held senior positions in several key national organizations over the past thirty years, including the Children’s Defense Fund, the National Women’s Law Center, and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. Nicole is also the mother of three and a proudly enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.